January 27 , 2021
How Fun Sculpture Connects Us To Wildlife
I ’m not afraid of spiders . honest thing , too , since my garden ’s populate with these busy weavers that spin fascination to prep their meals . Since I ’m not on their menu , I admire their skills , like dropping a quick “ leak roofy ” when menace . luckily , this spinybacked orbweaver was n’t worried about me cower up to admire its crimson and bootleg ensemble one summertime . Maybe because I readCharlotte ’s Webfive time as a kid and revisited as an adult?In nature ’s food mountain chain , spider are solid food for shuttlecock and lizards . Nothing ’s going to eat this one , though , since it ’s a 35 - foot alloy carving designed by Houston - based artistDixie Friend Gay . Named “ Arachnophillia ” as a nod to arachnids ( spiders and others with eight legs ) , she decorate an entrance to the Mueller development , just off Berkman Drive , once a parking lot at the former airport . I well remember it!Nowadays , it ’s a popular walk / jogging trail at the Southwest Greenway beyond Manor Road , design byRVi Planning + Landscape Architecture . I even heard two small families hook up for a safely distance and mask pre - New Year ’s picnic . sculptured drought - hardy aboriginal plants dot the borders , include sotols ( Dasylirion ) , agave , spring - bloom agarita , and native tree . Instead of strong white egg sack spun with silk , “ Arachnophillia ” gets really heavy - responsibility with lustrous metal green and gentle eggs to take in fascination and ( I hope ) taste of all life in our gardens . But it ’s pretty improbable that we ’ll see an devilfish . To rectify that , Dixie Friend Gay also alight a arresting 20 - foot specimen atop the convenience at Mueller ’s freshly opened Jessie Andrews Park not far from Austin Studios . ( Nearby Lake Park ’s playground hostsher colorfully - tile serpent “ Lake Nessy”.)On a pre - newfangled Year ’s jaunt , I got familiarise with “ Ocho ” who keeps a equable tentacle on neighborhood and park activity . The car park ’s identify for Jessie Andrews , the first woman to graduate from The University of Texas at Austin in 1883 and its first female teacher in 1888 . The university ’s Andrews Dormitory , built in 1936 , is identify for her . Crafted from forged metallic element , “ Ocho ” is cake with an automotive colour shift pigment meant to mime how octopi camouflage themselves . The park ’s designer , Chris Lalich , labor film director atRVi Planning + Landscape Architecture , said that the color changes from purpleness to deep blue angel as you walk around it and light striking at unlike angle . He note that they perforate the ( metal ) thin skin area between the tentacle as a shade awning . Dixie ’s seashell mosaic should make “ Ocho ” feel right at home since 260 million years ago or so , this area was covered by brine . I do n’t know if octopi were around then in what we now call our yards . When a young family came to joyfully research , I go on to my errands . after , a colleague told me that when his folk discern it on their Saturday rounds , they stopped for a picnic at one the park ’s tables . I ’ll be after one soon , too!When I retort another day and cloud move in , “ Ocho ” seemed to arise from the sea , appropriate since Dixie draw breathing in from classic movies like20,000 Leagues Under the SeaandMysterious Island . “Ocho ” must wait a season or two while newly installed plants mature in to mime a coral reef , including its rooftop garden . I adore this stone wall protective environs and plantation owner . To me , its veining mimics the intricacy of a coral reef . Chris aver they were thrilled to source this atChampions Quarryin Lueders . Since now ’s a great prison term to plant trees and many shrubs and perennials , we repeat our segment “ Native Alternatives to Exotic Plants . ” John Dromgoole pick out tools to help you through upcoming busy mean solar day . Plus , see how Sandy Stone and Joe Brown created their own garden art while restoring habitat . Croquet , anyone?Watch now !
Thanks for stopping by ! See you next workweek , Linda
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